Ghana launches cleanup of toxic waste dump to create 20,000 jobs

President John Mahama launched a three-month cleanup operation in September to remove approximately one million tonnes of waste from Agbogbloshie, a district on the Korle Lagoon delta in Accra, Ghana.

The project uses heavy military and public works equipment to transport refuse to a landfill 50 kilometres outside the capital. At the new site, workers will compact and cover the waste under environmental safeguards.

The Agbogbloshie site has accumulated thousands of tonnes of refuse over several decades, overwhelming local wetlands and affecting a nearby slum of 80,000 residents. Many people work at the site as scrap dealers, manually dismantling electronics and refrigerators to recover metals like copper and aluminium. These workers face health risks from inhaling smoke and dust containing lead and mercury, while runoff from the dump pollutes the Korle Lagoon and surrounding soil.

Greenpeace Africa reports that much of this waste comes from international imports, including 15 million used garments arriving in Ghana every week. The organisation found that 89 percent of sampled discarded clothing contained petrochemical fibres like polyester, which release carcinogens when burned. Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga intends to integrate informal waste pickers and tricycle hauliers into a formal recycling system. The government hopes this transition will create up to 20,000 permanent jobs in waste management and the circular economy.